Lighting element-centric network of networks
First Claim
1. A lighting system, comprising:
- a physical data network configured to enable data communication within a premises and to provide data communication access to a wide area network extending outside the premises, the physical data network comprising;
a first logical sub-network for lighting related communications; and
a second logical sub-network for non-lighting related communications; and
intelligent lighting system elements, including;
lighting devices each comprising a light source, andeither a user interface device configured for lighting control or a lighting-related sensor including a detector,each of the intelligent lighting system elements comprising;
a communication interface system, including at least one communication interface, configured to enable communication via a link to the physical data network;
a processor coupled to communicate via the communication interface and configured to control a lighting related operation of the respective intelligent lighting system element; and
programming or configuration data for the processor to configure the respective intelligent lighting system element as an element of the first logical sub-network for lighting related communications with other intelligent lighting system elements at the premises via the respective data network link and the physical data network,wherein, for each respective one of a plurality of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices;
the communication interface system of the respective intelligent lighting system element is further configured to provide a data communication link, separate from the link to the physical data network, for use by intelligent non-lighting-system devices at the premises, wherein;
each of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices comprise a processor and a memory; and
a first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices are elements of the second logical sub-network;
the processor of the respective intelligent lighting system element is configured to control communications via the communication interface system of the respective intelligent lighting system element to provide access to and from the second logical sub-network for the first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices, provided access being;
via the respective data communication link and the respective data network link to the physical data network and through the physical data network to the wide area network outside the premises; and
for non-lighting related communications with equipment of an entity associated with the first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices; and
the programming or configuration data for the processor further configures the respective intelligent lighting system element to;
implement an operating system environment for execution of one or more applications by the processor of the respective intelligent lighting system element, the one or more applications related to control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements; and
implement one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements, wherein at least one of the implemented one or more APIs is an interface between the respective operating system environment and the one or more applications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lighting system utilizes intelligent system elements, such as lighting devices, user interfaces for lighting control or the like and possibly sensors. The system also has a data communication network. Some number of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices, also support communication with non-lighting-system devices at the premises. Each such element has a communication interface system configured to provide a data communication link for use by non-lighting-system devices at the premises in proximity to the respective intelligent system element. Also, in such an element, the processor is configured to control communications via the communication interface system so as to provide access to the data network and through the data network to the wide area network outside the premises for non-lighting related communications of the non-lighting-system devices.
33 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A lighting system, comprising:
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a physical data network configured to enable data communication within a premises and to provide data communication access to a wide area network extending outside the premises, the physical data network comprising; a first logical sub-network for lighting related communications; and a second logical sub-network for non-lighting related communications; and intelligent lighting system elements, including; lighting devices each comprising a light source, and either a user interface device configured for lighting control or a lighting-related sensor including a detector, each of the intelligent lighting system elements comprising; a communication interface system, including at least one communication interface, configured to enable communication via a link to the physical data network; a processor coupled to communicate via the communication interface and configured to control a lighting related operation of the respective intelligent lighting system element; and programming or configuration data for the processor to configure the respective intelligent lighting system element as an element of the first logical sub-network for lighting related communications with other intelligent lighting system elements at the premises via the respective data network link and the physical data network, wherein, for each respective one of a plurality of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices; the communication interface system of the respective intelligent lighting system element is further configured to provide a data communication link, separate from the link to the physical data network, for use by intelligent non-lighting-system devices at the premises, wherein; each of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices comprise a processor and a memory; and a first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices are elements of the second logical sub-network; the processor of the respective intelligent lighting system element is configured to control communications via the communication interface system of the respective intelligent lighting system element to provide access to and from the second logical sub-network for the first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices, provided access being; via the respective data communication link and the respective data network link to the physical data network and through the physical data network to the wide area network outside the premises; and for non-lighting related communications with equipment of an entity associated with the first number of the intelligent non-lighting-system devices; and the programming or configuration data for the processor further configures the respective intelligent lighting system element to; implement an operating system environment for execution of one or more applications by the processor of the respective intelligent lighting system element, the one or more applications related to control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements; and implement one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements, wherein at least one of the implemented one or more APIs is an interface between the respective operating system environment and the one or more applications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising steps of:
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emitting light from each of a plurality of intelligent lighting devices to provide illumination at a premises served by a lighting system that includes; a physical data network comprising a first logical sub-network for lighting related communications and a second logical sub-network for non-lighting related communications; and the intelligent lighting devices, wherein the emitting step includes emitting light from each of first and second ones of the intelligent lighting devices so that the first and second lighting devices together provide the illumination for an area at the premises; communicating, over a first data communications link to the physical data network at the premises and via the first logical sub-network of the physical data network, data about lighting-related functions to and from the first intelligent lighting device; communicating, over a second data communications link to the physical data network and via the first logical sub-network, data about lighting-related functions to and from the second intelligent lighting device; providing a wireless data communications link, for two-way communications in the area at the premises and separate from the first and second data communications links, via each of the first and second intelligent lighting devices; sending, to a first intelligent non-lighting-system device and over the wireless data communications link provided by the first intelligent lighting device, data received by the first intelligent lighting device over the first data communications link to the physical data network and via the second logical sub-network of the physical data network at the premise from equipment of an entity associated with the first intelligent non-lighting-system device; receiving, from the first intelligent non-lighting-system device and over the wireless data communications link provided by the first intelligent lighting device, data to be sent by the first intelligent lighting device over the first data communications link to the physical data network and via the second logical sub-network of the physical data network at the premises to equipment of the entity associated with the first intelligent non-lighting-system device; implementing an operating system environment for execution of one or more applications by a processor of at least one intelligent lighting device, the one or more applications related to control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting devices; and implementing one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting devices, wherein at least one of the implemented one or more APIs is an interface between the respective operating system environment and the one or more applications. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A lighting system, comprising:
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a data network configured to enable data communication within a premises and to provide data communication access to a wide area network extending outside the premises; and intelligent lighting system elements, including; lighting devices each comprising a light source, and either a user interface device configured for lighting control or a lighting-related sensor including a detector, each of the intelligent lighting system elements comprising; a communication interface system, including at least one communication interface, configured to enable communication via a link to the data network; a processor coupled to communicate via the communication interface and the data network link and configured to control a lighting related operation of the respective intelligent lighting system element; and programming or configuration data for the processor to configure the respective intelligent lighting system element as an element of a first logical sub-network for lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements, including communications with other intelligent lighting system elements at the premises via the data communication network and communications through the data network and the wide area network outside the premises with equipment of an entity associated with the lighting related operations of the system, wherein, for each respective one of a plurality of the intelligent lighting system elements, including at least two of the lighting devices, the programming or configuration data for the processor further configures the respective intelligent lighting system element to; implement an operating system environment for execution of one or more applications by the processor of the respective intelligent lighting system element, the one or more applications related to control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements; and implement one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate control of lighting related operations of the intelligent lighting system elements, wherein at least one of the implemented one or more APIs is an interface between the respective operating system environment and the one or more applications. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification